The Utterances of a Peculiar Mindset

Trekking, forts, rock patches.... these are the words by which we enthusiast trekkers live and swear. However its now time for us to give something back. Leading the way is the trekking group Trek'di. The group while organizing and leading treks also organizes cleanliness drives on the forts.
This group recently undertook a clean-up drive at Harishchandragad, the Mecca of Trekkers. I was one of the team members of this drive. Here is a brief description of what we did.

Aim:- 1) To cleanup the way to fort, the fort surrounding.
2)To remove graphiti from walls of temple and caves
3) To remove names written in paint on the walls
4) Educate local people about the issue

What we did:
* We collected garbage on the way to fort and on the fort. Totally 7 big bags of garbage was collected. The most pathetic thing was we got more than 3000 wrappers of Goa Gutkha as if the company has sponsered the visits to the fort. We were thinking to change the name of fort from Harishchandragad to Goagad :)
* Some part of graphiti was removed from the temple walls.
* The names written by oil paint was not removed as it might harm to the heritage walls of fort (due to acid or turpentine oil) . We left it for Archeological Survey of India.
* We talked to local people on the fort about the issue and got a really good response from them.
* Also we talked with fellow trekkers and some of them really helped us with the work but most of them gave us a WTF look.

Future plans:
The NGO is planning to clean all forts in Sahyadri in a duration of a year. Along with garbage collection and removal of graphiti and painted things, they are also undertaking the work to clean up the ponds on these great heritage of history.

What we expect from you:
We expect some basic things from all fellow trekkers.
1)Don't throw your garbage on any fort. Carry it with you and throw in some dustbin.
2)Carry other garbage also which you find on the fort or the way.
3)Don't disturb beauty of the great heritage by writing anything on the walls of forts or on rocks.
4)Always try to keep the water in the ponds clean and potable.
5)No gutkha, smoking or drinking on the fort. The beauty of nature is itself a great “Nasha” and you don't need anything else with it.
6)Pass along this message to all the fellow trekkers you come across.

Remember only we can preserve the real beauty of Sahyadri. Come and help us with our project. Without your help, we can't do it.

Team for the drive:
1)Ashwin Date
2)Saili Palande
3)Paresh Walhe
4)Somesh Gite
5)Rohn Karande
6)Dinesh Soni
7)Pradeep Thapa
8)Shashank

Those who can help or guide us, please contact Dinesh 9823296825.

Once PVNR (PV Narasimha Rao), L.K.Advani and Laloo Prasad Yadav were travelling in an auto rickshaw. They met with an accident and all three of them died. Yam Raj was waiting for this moment at the doorstep of death.

He asks PVNR and Advani to go to HEAVEN. But, for Laloo, Yam Raj had already decided that he should be sent to HELL.

Laloo is not at all happy with this decision. He asks Yam Raj as to why this discrimination is being made. All the three of them had served the public.

Similarly, all took bribes, all misused public positions, etc. Then why the didfferential treatment? He felt that there should be a formal test or an objective evaluation before a decision is made and should not be just asked on opinion or pre conceived notions.

Yam Raj agrees to this and asks all the three of them to appear for an English test.

PVNR is asked to spell "INDIA" and he does it correctly. Advani is asked to spell "ENGLAND" and he too passes. It is Laloo's turn and he is asked to spell "CZECHOSLOVAKIA".

Laloo protests that he doesn't know English. He says this is not fair and that he was given a tough question and thus forced to fail with false intent.

Yam Raj then agrees to conduct a written test in Hindi (to give another chance assuming that Laloo should at least feel that Hindi would provide an equal platform for all three).

PVNR is asked to write "KUTTA BOLA BHOW BHOW". He writes it easily and Passes. Advani is asked to write "BILLY BOLI MYAUN MYAUN". He too passes. Laloo is asked to write "BANDAR BOLA GURRRRRR....." Tough one.

He fails again.

Laloo is extremely unhappy. Having been a student of history (which the other two weren't), he now requested for all the 3 to be subjected to a test in history

Yam Raj says OK but this would be the last chance and that he would not take any more tests.

PVNR is asked: "When did India get Independence?". He replied "1947" and passed. Advani is asked "How many people died during the independence struggle?". He gets nervous. Yama asked him to choose from 3 options: 100,000 or 200,000 or 300,000.Advani catches it and says 200,000 and passes.

It's Laloo's turn now. Yama asks him to give the Name and Address of each of the 200,000 who died in the st! ruggle. Laloo accepts defeat and agrees to go to HELL.

Moral of the story : IF YOUR MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED TO SCREW YOU, THERE IS NO ESCAPE !!!

Dear Trekkers, Nature Lovers, History lovers...

Friends, We are very happy to inform you all that a book titled 'A Rendezvous with Sahyadri' has been published recently by Snehal Prakashan,Pune.

This book was published on 1st December 2004, during the event "Shivotsav 2004" by Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare in presence of Prof.P.K.Ghanekar. Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare, Ninadji Bedekar,Anandrao Deshpande,Sureshji Wadkar highly praised this book during the event of Shivotsav 2004.



This book deals with :-

Trekking information of about 28 forts in Sahyadri,
Some informative articles such as
1) Sahyadri - The DNA of Maharashtra
2) Shivaji - King of Sahyadri
3) Caves & Temples in Sahyadri
4) Butterfies in Sahyadri
5) Birds and Flowers in Sahyadri

Excellent Photographs & Maps.
Preface to this book is given by Prof P.K.Ghanekar.
The hallmark of this book is 'Saviours of Sahyadri'. Through this section author has highlighted some of the organisations working actively in the Sahyadris The names of the organisations are as follows:
1) Chakram
2) Hariyali
3) KshitiZ
4) Nisargmitra
5) Shivteerth
And much more like Informational bytes, Checklist, format for field study, local words etc.
Intrested people can Contact :

1) Any book stall nearby

2) Harshal Ravindra Mahajan.
A/25, Nav Mauli, Ramchandra Nagar,
Manpada Rd, Dombivli(E). 421201
Tel : 0251-2440335

3) Snehal Prakashan
36 B,Gurudatta Sahvas
470/498 Shanivar Peth,
Pune 411030.
Tel : 020-24452911

Hi friends
blogging after long time.
Was busy with YUVA, the annual fest of MIT.
I was in the NCC show having role of an Assamee.
The show was great and we all enjoyed it lot.

I had also participated in photography competition in Artex, where i won 2nd prize.
Will be back on blogging very soon.
Well, i guess i'm already back ;)